"There are more ways to deal with someone than just dealing with her personally."
Jiang Ci leaned back, her tone calm and devoid of emotion. "If I were Guo Zhen, I wouldn't directly confront my enemies. Even if they weren't part of the same system, I could casually mention a benefit. As long as people have desires and want to hold onto power, even if it's just a casual remark, people will flock to do things for them. You can guard against anything, but it's the villains who are hardest to guard against."
“He might lay a hand on my wife, or on my two children.”
Jiang Ci smiled calmly, "I believe in human goodness, but I believe even more in human evil."
Cheng Wenyun and Cheng Huasheng looked at each other, this matter... was indeed very difficult to handle.
“I also saw something yesterday: Xia Lei has been released.”
Cheng Wenyun and Cheng Huasheng stared at Jiang Ci in shock.
Jiang Ci said with certainty, "If I'm not mistaken, the person who brought him out was Guo Zhen."
The uncle and nephew remained silent.
Cheng Yehan slowly spoke, "How does this Liu Yinyin have such great ability to persuade Guo Zhen to get that Xia kid out of the fence? How did she manage to get in touch with Guo Zhen?"
None of the three people present said anything.
Liu Yinyin is not from Beijing, and Guo Zhen has been living and working in Beijing all his life, so how could the two of them possibly know each other?
Cheng Wenyun and Cheng Huasheng are both respectable people, and even more so, people with substance. They would not make malicious assumptions about a female comrade with the most base thoughts.
But in reality, how many ways can a woman use to persuade a man when she wants him to do something?
Jiang Ci remained silent, but her mind was preoccupied with Cheng Yehan's words.
Liu Yinyin's ability to get involved with Guo Zhen must have been aided by Xia Lei.
And would Xia Lei allow Liu Yinyin to use her beauty to please him?
If Liu Yinyin seduced Guo Zhen and asked him to rescue Xia Lei, even if Guo Zhen agreed, could a man of high position and power tolerate a woman who had seduced him going to embrace her ex-husband?
Yesterday, she saw Liu Yinyin and Xia Lei hugging, while Guo Zhen stood by and watched.
None of the above is possible.
If it's not seduction, what else could it be?
Wealth? Power?
How could Guo Zhen lack such a thing?
How could Liu Yinyin possibly have such a thing?
Suddenly, Jiang Ci seemed to remember something, and sat up abruptly, turning to look at Cheng Wenyun and Cheng Huasheng, "Do you know if Guo Zhen has any preferences that are leaked?"
Neither of them understood what Jiang Ci meant.
“Poetry, calligraphy, painting, armor, fine horses, beautiful women, and antiques—everyone has likes and dislikes. Guo Zhen is in a high position; surely his preferences would be leaked?” Jiang Ci asked. “Or perhaps we can find out the preferences of those close to him, those who have been kind to him?”
"Xiao Ci, why are you asking this?" Cheng Huasheng was a little confused.
Jiang Ci did not answer his question. Looking at the empty table, her voice was somewhat unsteady. "I used to wonder why Xia Lei was so decisive in confessing all his money, what cultural relics he had hidden and sold, and who he had sold them to."
"Is this for a reduced sentence? There's no difference between going to jail and going for a few years. Once he's in there and the charges are proven, that stain will be on his record for life."
"Even though he knew this was the case, he still confessed everything, and quickly divorced Liu Yinyin. He then used his connections with the Xia family to bring Liu Yinyin to Beijing."
"Xia Lei did this not to get a reduced sentence, nor because he had a change of heart." She half-closed her eyes, her words drifting away, "but to hide a much bigger crime."
Cheng Huasheng and Cheng Wenyun were increasingly unable to understand what she was saying.
"Are you saying that Xia Lei and Liu Yinyin did something that could cost them their heads?"
Jiang Ci slowly looked at Cheng Huasheng, "Do you still have the photo I gave you, the three gold bars, and that letter?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Cheng Huasheng's breath hitched, and his mind went blank.
Having figured something out, Cheng Wenyun immediately pressed, "So you think that jade seal was taken by Liu Yinyin and brought to the capital?! And given to Guo Zhen?"
"The imperial seal was dug up by someone. Huang Zhiyuan hid the jade pendant in such a secret location. If it weren't for the box that was dug up behind my house, how could someone have found that location so precisely?"
"Xia Lei made a deal with the archaeological team and wandered around in the mountains. There was a chance that he would find the jade pendant. It's like my wife and I didn't find the tattered cloth left by Huang Zhiyuan, but we accidentally dug up the box in the woods behind my house."
"As long as there is a probability, it will happen, even if it's only 0.0001%, it's still a chance, isn't it?"
Cheng Wenyun stood up and paced back and forth in the study, unable to make a decision for a moment.
Cheng Yehan glanced at him and said, "Go investigate! Do you think our Cheng family is afraid of someone like Guo Zhen?"
Cheng Huasheng nodded seriously, "That's right, Wenyun, don't worry, you won't have to do this alone, I will help too."
Since his uncle and grandfather had both said so, Cheng Wenyun could only smile wryly, "It's not your place to do this, Uncle. I'll investigate."
"How many lives have they taken from our Cheng family over the years? We haven't done anything wrong, so they always turn a blind eye."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ci pursed her lips tightly and looked earnestly at Cheng Yehan, "Grandpa, this was originally Liu Yinyin's way of dealing with me, dragging you all into this. I only feel guilty."
"What are you saying?" Cheng Yehan looked at Jiang Ci disapprovingly. "Your family was brought to Beijing by the Cheng family. From the moment you helped me tame Liu San, you, your husband, and our Cheng family have already been connected."
At this point, Cheng Yehan's eyes softened a little. "Child, you don't need to feel guilty."
“If it weren’t for you, I would have died from Liu San’s torment, from that illness. No matter how good I was to you, I was not wrong.”
Cheng Yehan glanced at his grandson and said to Jiang Ci, "If you feel guilty, then call me godfather!"
"Now that you've become my goddaughter, let's see who dares to say anything against you!"
Cheng Wenyun: "..."
He blushed with embarrassment, knowing in his heart that Cheng Yehan was resenting him for being hesitant and indecisive.
Jiang Ci's eyes widened. "Grandpa, you're not joking, are you?"
"Do I look like someone who's joking?" Cheng Yehan said seriously.
Jiang Ci and Cheng Yehan looked at each other for a long time before laughing helplessly, "How could I refuse your kindness?"
“But I think I have a way to resolve this. You can call me dramatic if you want, but I don’t think I should accept you as my godfather just because of this,” Jiang Ciping said calmly. “If you are still willing to accept me as your goddaughter after this is resolved, then I will come to your door in person on that day.”
Cheng Yehan frowned.
"Grandpa, I've already made it into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, are you really afraid I'll be defeated?" Jiang Ci said jokingly. "Even if the Heavenly King himself came, he'd have to fight me before we'd know the outcome."
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